Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are hands down the GREATEST chocolate chip cookies that will ever reach your mouth. Ever.

½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ tablespoon vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
¼ cup quick oats
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream butter and both sugars.
Mix all dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking soda and salt) in a separate bowl.
Add egg to creamed ingredients. Add vanilla. Mix well.
Add dry ingredients a little at a time until it's all well incorprated. (Mixture should be really thick and not real sticky. If too sticky, add extra flour 1 T. at a time until dry enough that you can pick up the dough and roll it without it sticking to your hands.).
Mix in chocolate chips.
Roll dough into balls and bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes. Take them out just as they are barely beginning to brown. Do NOT over-bake. I can't emphasize this enough.

Make these. Trust me, you definitely will NOT regret it.

falafel

I recently (I'd say within the last few years) have discovered falafel. Why it took me so long to discover this amazing treat, I have NO idea. I'm sure glad I did though. Such a good alternative for vegetarians. And hey, even meat eaters enjoy them. hahaha

Cucumber, lettuce, falafel, hummus, wheat pita, feta cheese, hot sauce, white rice. So. Good! Then, put some white rice on the side with a little seaweed paste. Oh, and if you're feeling super frisky? Some amaretto. Can't say no to that, can you?

Guacs and cold

Omg, it's been freezing here lately. Okay, not literally. It's just been so cold for me. ugh, hate it. I miss summer so much. I should really consider moving somewhere that summer happens 80% of the time.

On the bright side, I made guacamole. I love guacamole. My sister and I could probably eat it for every meal, which is crazy because when we were younger, we hated it. We must be so mature now.

Honestly, I know this won't be helpful, but I have no set recipe for guacamole. I mean, obviously avocados. I try not to mix it up TOO much because I love chunks of avocado still floating around in there. I also put salsa, cilantro (omg, lots and lots of cilantro!), jalapenos, any form of hot sauce (here in Portland we have a famous hot sauce named Aardvark. You should try if if you're ever here), lime juice, maybe some black beans? I mean, it's all what you want. And as far as how much, experiment! lucky for me, it's hard to get guacamole wrong and I'm usually making it for myself since The Boyfriend hates it.

I had my ER rotation a few nights ago. Sort of strange. I saw a young girl who was doing a back hand spring and popped her elbow out of it's socket. When they sedated her and popped it back in, it just looked so easy. I just kept thinking "Uh, I could totally be a doctor, that was simple". I mean, obviously, it's wayyyy harder than it looks and they've probably done a ton of these, but I was just shocked. The body is so weird.

p.s. Rest in Peace Whitney Houston

banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting

So, we had banana's. The obvious thing to do would be to make cupcakes. So, why not make delicious banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. I even added some chocolate chips for fun. Ohhhh yeah!

Keep in mind that I halved this recipe and got 7 cupcakes. Also, I would half if not 1/4 the frosting recipe because it makes a LOT.

Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 very ripe large bananas, peeled
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk


Frosting:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
Chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts (optional)

For cupcakes:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 12 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Mash bananas with fork in another medium bowl until smooth. Mix sour cream and vanilla into bananas.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with banana-sour cream mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until blended after each addition. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (generous 1/4 cup for each).

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center of each comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and let cool completely.

For frosting:
Sift powdered sugar into large bowl. Add cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until smooth. Spread frosting over top of cupcakes, dividing equally. Sprinkle lightly with chopped peanuts, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

I'm not sure if I mentioned, but I'm going to school to become an EMT (eventually paramedic). I scheduled my ride-along today. That's where an ambulance lets you ride with them for a shift to see what it's like and how's it going. I'm pretty excited, but also insanely nervous. I'll let you know how it goes. Send me some mega good vibes!

You are absolutely divine, my dear!

One of my favorite things about baking is when other people eat what I create and love it.  Or give me requests to make something and they just light up when they get it.  My mom, when she was just a young lady, used to eat divinity all the time.  Well, I'd never heard of it.  She gave me the recipe and said I should make it sometime.  Boy, oh boy, am I happy I did.  It's delicious!  It just melts in your mouth...

A few things before you attempt this: 1.) You really do need a candy thermometer.  I know a lot of recipes call for one, but you can usually get away with it based on the change in the ingredients, but better safe than sorry.  2.) You are not supposed to make this candy if there is even the slightest bit of humidity in the air (okay okay, I've heard under 40%).  However, living in the Pacific Northwest, that is pretty much impossible, so use 1 to 2 tablespoons less water.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons and 2-3/4 teaspoons chopped walnuts and pecans

Directions

1. Cook sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 2-quart pot over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.  Cook, without stirring, to 260 degrees on candy thermometer (or hard ball stage).
2. Beat egg whites in 1-1/2-quart bowl until stiff peaks form. Continue to beat while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla; beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. (Mixture may become too stiff for electric mixer). Fold in nuts (if you choose).
3. Drop from buttered spoon onto waxed paper. Let stand at room temperature, turning candy over once, until outside of candy is firm--at least 12 hours. Store in airtight container.
   
   I'm pretty sure I'll be making this again
    
    
   
    p.s. I'm sorry my photos are so awful, my amazing camera was stolen.. :(  I'll get a good one again.  One day.

Sweets and treats

I love candy.  Love love love love it!  However, I've been trying to not eat it as much as I used to.  I decided to try and evolve a candy into something so that I can get the candy and be more satisfied with just one.  I decided to settle on Rolo Cookies.  The original cookie uses a peanut better cookie with a rolo in the center, but I have family members allergic to peanut butter so I went with a normal sugar cookie (Though I'm SURE they would taste amazing with peanut butter).  You can use any sugar cookie recipe you'd like.  Once you've rolled it into a medium sized ball, push the rolo in the center and wrap it.  Make sure there is enough dough on the bottom so your rolo doesn't ooze out the bottom.

The last thing I've made recently (which is apparently also the best) would be these Peanut Butter Cup Bars.  Basically, an at home version of Reese's.  Also, WAY easier to make than buckeyes (ugh, rolling things in chocolate is not fun).

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

1/2 cup butter
1 3/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
(Line a 8×8, 9×9, or 7×11 pan with foil for easy removal of bars later.)
Melt 1/2 c. butter of low heat. Remove from heat and stir in confectioner’s sugar. Add peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs, stirring until creamy. Spread mixture into pan, patting down evenly.
In same pot, on low heat, melt butter. Add chocolate chips and stir until chips are nearly melted and very soft. Remove from heat and continue stirring until chocolate is smooth and shiny. Spread over peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.
Store peanut butter cup bars in refrigerator.

I would definitely recommend these!

Puppy Chow

I haven't had this in sometime, but I do have fond memories of it.  So good.  And SO easy to make.  Try it, you won't regret it.

Puppy Chow Recipe
Ingredients:
9 cups Combination of Corn, Rice, and Wheat Cereal squares (Chex) *For gluten-free, omit the wheat chex.
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoon vanilla *make sure to check vanilla for gluten-free
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 1-gallon ziplock bags

Directions:
Place cereal in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium microwavable bowl, add chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave on High for 1 minute and stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer and stir mixture until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour sauce over cereal and stir until evenly coated. Spoon half of the mixture in each 1-gallon resealable ziplock bag. Add 3/4 cup powdered sugar to each bag, and seal. Shake the bag until everything is coated. Spread on waxed/parchment paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Sea Foam Candy

I have recently gotten into baking.  Today was a rainy downer of a day (What's new in Washington State?) so I decided what better to try and make some Sea Foam Candy.  My mom and Grandpa LOVE Sea Foam Candy... I didn't think it'd be too hard, so I figured why not and try.  I think they turned out pretty good.  If you're interested I used this recipe:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,187,154167-245199,00.html

So awful out.  Disappointing.

It was getting realllly hot.  I was getting nervous and couldn't hold the thermometer anymore because the steam was hurting too badly.

When you add the baking soda the whole pot just starts to boil and foam like an animal with rabies. 

Breaking everything up was really messy, but sort of fun.  I just took a knife to it... if you end up making Sea Foam I would suggest looking for a better method.

Mmmmmm, I love LOVE love chocolate <3  They are currently hardening, so I haven't tried the finished project, but I've got high hopes.

And to end it a picture of The Boyfriend with Charlie.  He wouldn't wake up and Charlie wanted to play.  Rude.